Vaporizing manifold



c.. s RICKER VAPORIZING- MANIFOLD Feb. 14, 1928.

Fild 00+. 13, 1920 ATTORNEYS Patented 14, 1928.

UNITED STATES CHESTER S. RICKER, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDANA.

vnronrzrne MANIFOLD.

Appiieauon meer echter re, i920. serial No. 416,673.

lt is theobject of my invention to produce a Vaporizing manifold, which will vaporize by heat those component parts of the fuel which are not volatilized in the carbureter, but which will not heat the air.

lt is well recognized that much liquid iu the ordinary fuel supply system for interp nal combustion engines will be carried into lll the cylinders; because it is not volatilized in the carburetor. lt is also recognized that it is undesirable to heat the air which forms part of the explosive mixture, because to do so cuts down the power of the engine.

In carrying out my invention, l use an itake manifold which branches to different cylinders of the engine, with the branches preferably directly opposite, so that in the engine operation there is a `surging to and fro in the manifold, and l extend the ends of the manifold beyond the outermost connections from the manifold to the cylinders, so that by reason of such surging any stillliquid fuel will be carri-ed past such connections and deposited in the extended ends of the manifold; and l heat these lextended manifold ends in some suitable manner, preferably by providing them with jackets in the connections from the exhaust ports of the end cylinders to the exhaust manifold.

The accompanying drawing illustrates my invention. Fig. 1 is a plan of a manifolding system embodying my invention, in connection with a four-cylinder engine, showing the cylinders in dotted lines; Fig. is a vertical section on the lin-e 2 2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section on the line 3-3 of 2; and Fig. el is a transverse vertical section on the line lmet of Fig.

Any usual carburetor connected to the central intake opening 11 of the intake manifold 12, which preferably extends in opposite directions, in a single straight line, from the middle point where the intake opening is located. Near the ends of the straight manifold 12 are connections 13 and 14, each of which leads to a pair of intake ports, and 16, and 17 and 18, respectively, in the engine cylinders, of which in the arrangement shown there are four, A, B, C, and D. The straight manifold 12 is provided at each end with an extension 19, which extends beyond the connection 13 or 14 leading to the intake ports. Though it is not essential, the under side of each extension 19 is preferably provided with transverse ribs 20, to provide pockets for catchin the liquid fuel which may enter the ends 19 and increasing 'the heating surface.

An exhaust manifold 2l isl connected to the several exhaust ports 22, 23, 2l, and 25 of the engine cylinders, the ports 23 and 2e of the middle cylinders conveniently communicating with the exhaust manifold by a common connection 2G. flach end ofthe exhaust manifold 2l communicates with a chamber 27, which surrounds and jackets the adjacent extended end 19 cf the intake manifold. The two jackets 19 are connected, on the opposite side thereof from' their connections to the exhaust manifold, to two exhaust pipes 28 and 29, which may or may not join into a single exhaust pipe.

In operation, the usual engine suction draws in air and fuel through the carbureter 10, and the mixture passes by way of the intake opening' ll to the middle of the straight intake manifold 12, whence it passes alter nately toward one end and the other of the manifold as the successive cylinders in their firing order reach their suction strokes. This alternate passage of the explosive mixture to one end or the other of the intake manifold 12 produces a surging of such mixture along the intake manifold, and by reason of such surging the unvolatilized liquid fuel by reason of its greater weight is carried by inertia past the connections 13 and lll leading to the cylinder intake ports and is thrown into the extended ends 19, where it is precipitated in the depressions between the ridges 20. The burned gases from the exhaust manifold 21 circulate through the chambers 2T in their passage to the exhaust pipes 28 and 29, and heat such end portions 19 to vaporize the liquid fuel therein, probably with some cracking action also on such liquid fuel, but do not heat materially the air of the mixture stream. The fuel thus vaporized works back into the body of the manifold 12, both by reason of the expansion due to such vapor-ization and by reason of the surging in such manifold, and being vaporized is carried with the stream of .explosive mixture into the connec tions 13 and 14C leading to the cylinders.

I claim as my invention:

1. ln combination, a substantially straight intake manifold having a' mixture-supply connection at an intermediate point and having discharge connections near the ends to the ports of engine cylinders, said .intake manifold having end portions projecting beyoud such discharge Connections to form pockets in which unvaporized fuel is deposited, an exhaust manifold connected to the exhaust ports of the engine cylinders, and jackets surrounding `the extended end portions of the intake manifold and connect- Ted to the respective ends of said exhaustlnaniiold to form escape passages therefrom.

2. In combination7 an intake manifold having a mixture-supply connection at an intermediate point and having discharge connections near the ends to the ports ot' engine cylindersn said intake manifold having end portions projecting beyond suoli discharge connections to toi-n1 pockets in which 15 unvaporized fuel is deposited, an exhaust manifold connected to the exhaust ports ot the engine cylinders, and jackets surrounding the extended end portions ol the intake manifold and connected to the respective ends 01 said exhaust manifold to form escape passages therefron'l.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto setmy hand at Indianapolis, Indiana, this L1th day ot September` A. D. one thousand nine 25 hundred and twenty.

CHESTER S. HIGHER. 

